Most conventional communications networks today, particularly existing telephone networks, provide a calling party with an audible ringback signal when an intended called network address or station line is idle and a busy signal when the intended called network address or station line is already in use, i.e., the telephone or other device at the called network address is being used. Conventional networks also provide a calling party with an audible dial tone signal when the telephone or other device at the calling station signals the network that they wish to initiate a call or network communication and a line is available. Most conventional communications networks today, particularly existing telephone networks, also provide advanced features, such as call waiting. The call waiting feature allows a station or device already connected to another station or device to temporarily disconnect from a first call and receive a second incoming call, and then switch back and forth between the other parties.
During many network communications today between network devices, such as a connection between a network terminating station device and a video server, there are often periods during the communication when one party or device needs to process information or process a request, creating idle line time. It is also often necessary for one party or device to place the other party or device on hold within the network, again creating idle line time.
Many calling parties become frustrated when encountering a busy signal especially since the standard or usual tones used to signify a busy condition are annoying. The time that a calling party and/or the calling station equipment remains on the line and attempts to redial the called network address or station line normally represents wasted time and unnecessarily occupies network equipment without generating network income. The time spent while waiting for the call to be completed, i.e., during the audible ringback period or other call set-up periods, waiting while a called party or station device answers another incoming call, or time spent on hold within the network while a called party or station device temporarily desires to uninterruptibly process information is also wasted time and money.
It would be beneficial to be able to productively occupy the time that the calling party and/or the calling station equipment is on the line or occupying a portion of the network without annoying the calling party by requiring the calling party to listen to or view a meaningless or annoying busy signal, a ringback signal, or wait idly while the called station receives another incoming call or processes information. The foregoing scenario holds true whether the calling party is attempting to complete a call to another telephone or to any other location within a communications network which has a network address assigned to it, regardless of the station equipment which may be connected at either end of the network connection or within the network itself.
It would be advantageous to have a communications system which would replace the audible or visual ringback and/or busy signals initiated by the communications network with a series of pre-recorded audio and/or video announcements which would provide the calling party with useful information. When the telephone or other device at the called network address or station line is answered, the announcements would discontinue and the connection would be completed in the usual manner. In addition, the announcements would be discontinued if the calling party abandons the communication or attempted communication.
It would also be advantageous to have a communications system which would replace the audible dial tone signal initiated by the communications network with a custom audio/video message and menuing system which would allow a calling station to receive audio and/or visual announcements and interact with the network or make menu choices providing the party wishing to initiate a call with useful information. When the telephone or other device signals to the network to initiate a connection or makes a menu selection, the announcements would discontinue and the connection would be completed in the usual manner. In addition, the announcements would be discontinued if the calling party abandons the communication.
It would also be advantageous to have a communications system which would provide a device which has been temporarily disconnected from a station and placed on hold within the network while the other station answers or returns to another call with a series of pre-recorded announcements which would provide the waiting party with useful information. When the telephone or other device at the other network address or station line signals to reconnect to the waiting party, the announcements would discontinue and the connection would be completed in the usual manner. In addition, the announcements would be discontinued if the waiting party abandons the communication or attempted communication.
It would further be advantageous to have a communications system which would provide a device which has been temporarily disconnected from a station and placed on hold within the network, while the other station processes information, with a series of pre-recorded announcements which would provide the party or device on hold within the network with useful information. When the other telephone or device at the other network address or station line signals to reconnect to the party or device on hold within the network, the announcements would discontinue and again the connection would be completed in the usual manner. In addition, the announcements would be discontinued if the party on hold within the network abandons the communication.
The present invention is directed to a communications marketing system which is capable of replacing a busy signal or ringback signal by one or more pre-recorded announcements. The present communications marketing system notifies the calling party or caller that the line of the called network address or station is either busy or idle and, if busy, that the line will be automatically retried for completion of the call after expiration of a predetermined time period. If the line is idle, one or more pre-recorded announcements are played for the caller, the announcements continuing until a party or device at the called network address or station responds by answering the telephone or otherwise. At that time, the announcements are discontinued and the call is completed. If the called network address or station line is busy, a number of pre-recorded announcements are played for the predetermined time period. The announcements can vary in subject matter. Once the called network address or station line is determined to be idle, i.e., no longer in use, the calling party is automatically connected to the called network address or station line and the announcements are terminated.
The present invention is also directed to a communications marketing system which is capable of replacing idle time spent by a party or device temporarily disconnected from another station and placed on hold within the network while the other station answers or returns to another call with one or more pre-recorded announcements. One or more pre-recorded announcements are played for the waiting caller, the announcements continuing until the other party or device at the other network address or station signals to reconnect the call. At that time, the announcements are discontinued and the call is reconnected.
The present invention is also directed to a communications marketing system which is capable of replacing idle time spent temporarily on hold from another station, while the other station processes information or a request, by one or more pre-recorded announcements. For instance, a party or device connected to a server or other device at another network address can be placed on hold within the network by the server while waiting for a network based movie or video game. Additionally, the server or other network device could be placed on hold within the network by the calling party when, for example, a network based movie being viewed or a video game being played is temporarily paused by the calling party. One or more pre-recorded announcements are played for the party on hold within the network, or the party which has paused a network based movie, video game or other video applications, the announcements continuing until either party or device signals to reconnect the call. At that time, the announcements are discontinued and the call is reconnected.
The present invention is further directed to a communications marketing system which is capable of replacing a standard dial tone with a custom audio/video menuing and advertising system when a network station device signals the communications network that it wishes to use the communications line, i.e. by going off-hook or otherwise. A custom menu and/or custom pre-recorded announcements are transmitted to the party or station. The announcements continue until the party or device signals to connect to another network address or station or abandons the call.